Max Headroom - Cruel Seduction
by ElegantButler
Summary: Peller has designs on Bryce.
1. Chapter 1

Max Headroom

Cruel Seduction

Chapter One

Bryce looked up from the project he'd been working on for Cheviot as the door to his studio slowly opened.

To his surprise, Simon Peller walked in. Bryce wasn't sure what he thought of the man. Peller had a smooth way of talking to people, but he usually rubbed them the wrong way. On the other hand, he was a politician. So maybe everyone just didn't trust him for that one reason.

"Can I help you?" Bryce asked.

"I just came to thank you for helping Network 23 win the last election," Peller said in that smooth voice.

Bryce nodded and returned to his work.

"I see you're still at work. And here it is almost nine in the evening. Wouldn't you rather relax?" Peller offered. "I'm sure there's something on TV we could watch."

"I do research and development for every show. I see them all piece by piece. I don't need to watch them in real time." Bryce remarked.

Peller began to massage Bryce's shoulders, not too hard. Bryce would've protested, except that he had been rather tense lately and it did help.

"Okay," he finally said after allowing it for several minutes He turned to look at Peller, "That helped. Now I've got to get…"

That was when Peller kissed him, pulling him out of the chair and into a tight embrace.

Bryce's mind reeled, shouting at him to push the man away, to slap him or better yet punch him in the gut. This was wrong. So wrong. This shouldn't be happening! But damn, Peller was a great kisser.

Peller left with a smile on his face an hour later, while Bryce slept soundly, unaware of the older man's departure.

When Bryce woke a few hours later, he reached over to where Peller had been. He was only barely surprised to find himself alone. Peller was a public figure, after all. And he wouldn't want to be caught in any wrongdoing.

Bryce wondered why he had let Peller do what he had done. Bryce wasn't sure how he felt about it. On a logical level, it had been anything but. And physically it had been mildly painful at first, but over time it had changed, becoming very pleasant. And those pleasant sensations had brought with them a sense of emotional contentment. That was pleasant, but Bryce didn't fully trust it.

Peller returned a few days later and gave Bryce a single rose.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Bryce inquired, coldly.

"Accept it as an apology for leaving so hastily," Peller said.

"Mr. Peller…" Bryce began.

"Bryce," Peller said, suavely. He kissed Bryce swiftly, then went on. "my name is Simon. You can hardly be expected to address me so formally after we've been as intimate as we have been."

"Mr. Peller," Bryce continued. "I don't understand any of this. But I don't think it's right for you to…"

Peller cut him off with another kiss. "Does that feel wrong?"

"I feels nice," Bryce admitted. "But that doesn't mean…"

Another kiss. Another embrace.

"I can't stay," Peller said, finally releasing Bryce after a few minutes. "I really just came to apologize for rushing off. Perhaps you'd like to have dinner with me this Friday night?"

"I've got a lot of work to do," Bryce told him. "I can't…"

"Nonsense," Peller scoffed. "You're allowed to take a few hours off. I'll pick you up at six on Friday."

Bryce watched the older man leave, shrugged, and returned to his current task.


	2. Chapter 2

Max Headroom

Cruel Seduction

by Elegant Butler

Chapter 2

Dinner, of course, was not all that Peller had in mind. And by just past nine on Friday night, he had Network 23's head of research and development curled up in his arms under the covers sleeping peacefully while he smiled wickedly at him.

The vu-phone sounded, interrupting Peller's silent contemplation of how well the night had gone.

"Peller," Edwards began, "Mr. Cheviot wants you to take part in…"

Edwards froze and stared at Peller. Or more precisely, who Peller was with.

"What the hell is he doing there?!"

"Who?" Peller said, throwing the blanket hastily over Bryce.

"Peller, have you gone insane? If word of this leaks out… dear God! What will the viewers think?"

"I don't plan on telling the viewers," Peller said, simply. "And if you don't want trouble, neither will you."

Edwards switched off the vu-phone. He stood up and paced the room in an agitated state. What was he to do? They had just won the telelection a week ago! And Peller had a right to his own private life. On the other hand, Bryce was sixteen. And while that might be perfectly acceptable in

England, there were many places that the network aired where it was not.

Five minutes later, he was dialing the number for Cheviot's home.

Cheviot looked perturbed to be getting phone calls when he had just been getting ready to retire for the night.

"Edwards…"

"Sir," Edwards told him, "we have a major problem."

"If you're about to tell me that Peller is trying to make excuses to get out of cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Live Blank Education Center…" Cheviot began.

"I didn't ask him," Edwards began. "I was too shocked when I saw Bryce curled up nude in his bed."

Cheviot almost left a hole in the ceiling.

"You saw WHAT?!" he exploded.

"I don't think Peller hurt Bryce, but…"

"I don't care if he covered the bed in rose petals and whispered sweet nothings first," Cheviot said, very angrily. "Peller has no business being anywhere near Bryce! My God, do you realize

that what he's done is illegal in at least three of our affiliate countries!"

Cheviot's face went from angry to sympathetic as he added. "And while Bryce may be a genius when it comes to technology, he understands nothing when it comes to things of this nature. It's going to hurt him terribly when he realizes that Peller's been using him. Poor kid."


	3. Chapter 3

Max Headroom

Cruel Seduction

By Elegant Butler

Chapter 3

Bryce pulled the sheets around himself as the door to Peller's bedroom flew open. Cheviot was there along with Murray whom he had called shortly after getting the message.

Cheviot had been tempted to call Edison. But he was certain that the network's ace reporter would come charging in with his vidicam and try to expose it on the evening news. It would have resulted in an embarrassing scene for Bryce that Cheviot was sure the young genius would never forgive.

So Cheviot had called Murray instead, requesting that the man not get Carter involved unless it became absolutely necessary.

"Bryce, get dressed," Murray said, feeling a bit ackward. Bryce always made him feel uncomfortable and seeing him in a state of undress did not help matters.

As soon as Murray was turned the other way, Bryce climbed out of Peller's bed and quickly got dressed.

"Guess I'm not allowed to have a private life," Bryce muttered, irritably.

"Not when it involves someone who is clearly taking advantage of you," Murray told him.

"Simon isn't taking advantage of me," Bryce argued. "My experience with him has been…"

"Let me guess, he makes you feel good physically," Murray said, interrupting Bryce who was putting his coat on at this point.

"Yes, he does," Bryce told him. "What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with it? Well, besides the fact that it's a relationship that's actually illegal in three of our affiliate countries, there is that little bit about you knowing absolutely nothing about what he's got you involved in."

"Well, I know about it now," Bryce said.

"I understand that," Murray told him. "But you didn't in the beginning. I bet he didn't even ask your permission first. Did he?"

"Well, no," Bryce admitted. "In fact, at first I asked him to stop, but he kept kissing me and after a while, I guess…"

"Wait," Murray said, sounding strained. "You told him to stop? And he kept going?"

"He didn't hurt me," Bryce told Murray. "I only wanted him to stop because I was a little scared of how it was making me feel. And once I realized there was nothing to be afraid of…"

"That doesn't matter," Murray said. "As soon as you said 'stop' he had no business going any further. My God, when Cheviot hears about this…"

"Don't tell Cheviot!" Bryce cried out. "I don't want Simon to get in trouble. Murray, I've been appreciated before. Even liked. But this is the first time anyone has actually loved me."

"Loved?!" Murray exclaimed. "Bryce, Simon Peller raped you!"

"What?" Bryce asked. "What are you talking about?"

"When you said 'stop', that is exactly what he should have done. He never…"

"You're wrong, Murray," Bryce said. "It can't be rape! Theora warned me about things like that a few weeks ago. She was concerned when I went to my college reunion that I might run into trouble while I was out on my own. She said it was a violent act. Peller wasn't violent. He's always been tender."

"Always?" Murray asked. "How many times has he done this?"

"Just twice," Bryce said.

"Come on," Murray said. "It's time we talked to Cheviot."

Bryce followed Murray into Peller's living room where the politician and Cheviot were in the middle of an intense argument.

"You are to keep away from Bryce, Peller," Cheviot said. "That's an order. Now either you do so voluntarily, or I'll slap an injunction on you so fast your head will be spinning faster than a hubcap on a scumball car."

"I have never done him any harm," Peller pointed out.

"What about continuing your advances after he rejected them?" Murray asked. "Don't you think of that as harmful?"

"I did not rape him, if that's what you're implying," Peller snapped, angrily. "He only asked me to stop because he was…"

"He asked you to stop and you kept going?"

"Once he was used to it, he stopped asked me to stop," Peller pointed out. "He was only asking because he was scared. As soon as he knew there was nothing to be afraid of…"

"You raped him," Cheviot accused, angrily.

"No, he didn't!" Bryce protested. "He never beat me, or hit me. And he was gentle. So, you see, it can't be rape. It just can't!"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Bryce," Cheviot said sadly, "but it can be."


End file.
